Fla. man charged with DUI after rear-ending MPD cruiser

A 56-year-old Florida man was allegedly drinking and driving when he rear-ended an unmarked Middletown police cruiser on Del. Route 1 last week.

By Scott Goss

A 56-year-old Florida man was allegedly drinking and driving when he rear-ended an unmarked Middletown police cruiser on Del. Route 1 last week.

Dale Arculas of Punta Gorda, Fla., is facing DUI and careless driving charges following the crash on southbound Del. Route 1, just south of Boyds Corner Road, about 6 p.m. Friday, according to Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Paul Shavack.

Neither Arculas nor the 28-year-officer whose 2009 Ford Crown Victoria was rear-ended in the crash was injured as a result of the collision.

Shavack said the officer had spent the afternoon at a court assignment and was returning to police headquarters when he noticed a vehicle in front of him move to the left shoulder of the highway.

The officer reportedly activated his emergency equipment and slowed down to follow the possibly-disabled vehicle onto the shoulder when his cruiser was struck from behind by Arculas’ 2009 Toyota Titan pick-up truck.

Middletown Police Chief Henry Tobin said the police cruiser is no longer drivable and the department is currently waiting on the town’s insurance company to provide an estimate for the repair work.

“In this instance, our officer was very fortunate he was not seriously injured,” he said. “Every time an officer makes a vehicle stop for a traffic violation gets out of the patrol vehicle to assist a disabled vehicle, they place themselves in harm’s way. This is the main reason when the public sees an officer on the side of the road with their emergency equipment activated, they are to move over whenever possible, or at least slow down to create a safer environment.”